Practice Makes Perfect
by Tsukekaeru Karasu
Summary: Yes I know everyone has at least one of them... I figured I might as well as my cliche of choice... Besides Cherries are good.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own xxxHolic though I do own a friend who will answer to Watanuki but only because I can pull off Yuuko. Also I apologize for the overly clichéd topic of the story. I ran this off rather quickly.

"Thank you." Watanuki said as he closed the door of his apartment. One of his neighbors had just stopped by. A friend of theirs had a cherry tree and they thought that perhaps he'd like the treat. Smiling to himself he turned to go and wash the cherries and set them in a bowl to enjoy as he did his homework. He didn't have to worry about Yuuko or any insane requests of food from Doumeki so he figured he deserved the time to treat himself.

Cherries washed and sitting glistening, in a glass bowl Watanuki took it into his small living room to enjoy.

"Oi." Doumeki said by way of greeting having come in through the window.

"AH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING SNEAKING INTO PEOPLE'S HOUSES UNINVITED!" Watanuki screamed pointing a trembling hand at Doumeki in indignation.

"Taking a cherry." Doumeki said reaching for the bowl without another thought. He'd met Yuuko on his way to the store and she'd told him to just go and visit Watanuki.

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN ASK! I GET THESE AS A TREAT AND YOU COME IN AND STEAL THEM FROM ME!" Watanuki said snatching the bowl away too late as Doumeki caught a cherry by its stem.

"I saw Yuuko she told me an interesting fable." Doumeki said popping the cherry into his mouth, stem and all.

"You idiot you aren't supposed to eat the stem!" Watanuki said lowering his voice to something barely below screaming. He'd resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't getting rid of the boy anytime soon.

Doumeki didn't answer right away and seemed to be playing with the cherry in his mouth. After a few minutes he took out the stem and at the pit and looked at the stem closely. "Thought so," he murmured just loud enough for Watanuki to hear. In the stem was a small tight knot about halfway up it.

"What do you mean 'you thought so'?" Watanuki asked slightly confused.

Doumeki held up the cherry stem so that Watanuki could see the knot. "What is that?" Watanuki asked slightly confused.

"It seems I'm a good kisser," Doumeki deadpanned. It wasn't that he didn't care it's just he figured it would rile Watanuki.

"How do you figure that?" Watanuki asked skeptical about the knot.

"You try," Doumeki said grabbing a cherry for Watanuki.

Watanuki took the cherry. "I don't believe I'm doing this," he muttered disbelievingly. Putting the cherry in his mouth he fought with it for a moment before, to his chagrin, he pulled out a loosely knotted cherry stem.

Doumeki smirked smugly, "Try again." He pushed the bowl of cherries towards Watanuki. Watanuki, now intrigued, took another cherry and put it in his mouth. 'At least he isn't eating all of them.'

Watanuki pulled out a slightly tighter knot and Doumeki prodded him again. It was like he was searching for a specific outcome but wouldn't share with Watanuki what it was. After a good ten minutes of Watanuki suffering with cherry stems he finally produced a knotted stem almost twin to Doumeki's. Doumeki grinned, "Seems practice makes perfect."

Watanuki opened his mouth to ask what he was talking about only to have his lips captured by Doumeki. True to the knot he'd tied Doumeki was a very good kisser. Breaking apart Doumeki headed towards the window. "Thank Yuuko for sharing that with me okay, and tomorrow I want shrimp."

Watanuki stared at Doumeki as he left his apartment through the window. Finally surfacing back in reality he went over to the window and yelled down at Doumeki, "I DON'T TAKE ORDERS!"

Doumeki raised a hand and just kept walking; who knew Yuuko bringing up something so completely innocent could be so much fun. 'I should buy her some sake to thank her. I'll ask Watanuki what kind she likes tomorrow.'

Sitting in his apartment staring at the half empty bowl of cherries on his table he smiled, 'Practice makes perfect huh?'


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Uh… I was really bored and I'd love feedback on this as a second chapter. I hadn't planned one but someone put it down for an alert and I figured I might as well accommodate. I honestly had no clue where to start it but uh…

It had been several days since the cherry incident with Doumeki and Watanuki hadn't exactly pushed it out of his mind so much as deliberately tried to throw. He did not, enjoy it and he was firmly in denial over the fact that the kiss had left him warm and comfortable. He blamed shock. Doumeki wasn't supposed to do these things. 'At least it hadn't been Yuuko,' he thought begrudgingly. Watanuki hadn't been thrilled to tell Doumeki what kind of sake she liked but as he didn't bring up the incident in front of Himawari-chan he was willing to tell him.

Currently he was sitting waiting for Himawari-chan to come to lunch. He'd made cherry tarts partly because Yuuko wanted them and partly because he needed to get rid of the cherries that were left. 'Stupid Doumeki had better now try to eat them. I made these especially for Himawari-chan. Sure Yuuko and Mokona wanted some too but the intention behind my cooking them was Himawari-chan's smiling face.'

"Oi." Doumeki said sitting down in the shade. He'd just over heard some teacher or other asking Himawari to do something. She hadn't seen him otherwise she might've told him to pass on her regrets to Watanuki. He couldn't exactly say he minded.

"My name's not 'Oi,'" Watanuki stressed not looking at Doumeki or even bothering to glare. He was staring at the school hoping that Himawari would show up soon to break the tense awkwardness he imagined when he was left alone with Doumeki. This was the first lunch she hadn't come to yet and it wasn't helping to put the cherry incident out of his mind. Not with cherry tarts right there in front of him. 'What happened to the sixth one…' One of the six he'd made only five were still sitting in front of him.

"Mm." Doumeki murmured around the poor remains of a cherry tart as he reached for another.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" Watanuki screeched shrilly.

"Eating." Doumeki said slowly like it should have been obvious. "These are good. You didn't have to make them. I haven't saved your life recently." It was a jab that would undoubtedly set Watanuki off but he couldn't resist.

"I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I MADE THOSE FOR HIMAWARI-CHAN! HOW DARE YOU EAT ONE WITHOUT EVEN ASKING! CAN'T YOU EVEN WAIT FOR HER?" Watanuki asked flailing and covering the tarts in the hopes that if Doumeki tried again he'd notice sooner.

"She's not coming."

"What do you mean she's not coming? Of course she's coming. She promised," Watanuki said worried. He didn't like the idea of being left alone with Doumeki again so soon.

"Some teacher asked her to do something," Doumeki said not sure who had asked, or for what purpose.

"Oh..." Watanuki's entire mood seemed to deflate. He didn't even blink as Doumeki took yet another cherry tart. Instead he took one as well staring at the poor treats that would go unloved and unappreciated by Himawari-chan.

Eating lunch in companionable silence, or at least that's how Doumeki saw it. Watanuki still found it slightly awkward. After all he was finding himself fondly remembering the kiss he and Doumeki had shared every time he tasted the cherry filling of the tarts.

Lunches packed away and Doumeki finishing his last tart while Watanuki stared at the one left. "Doumeki, why did you want me to tie that knot? I mean, every one knows practice makes perfect; anyone who wants to be good at anything. I just guess I want to know why you kissed me at all."

Doumeki smiled and leaned towards Watanuki a little more. There was some of the cherry filling from one of his tarts on his cheek. How it got there he didn't really care. Licking it off gently he whispered, "I wanted to. I'd like to again sometime. Yuuko is right about a lot of things and I like to think she's right about Himawari too. Consider me the alternative for now." That said he brushed their lips together briefly and turning away to head back up to the school. The bell had rung and they had afternoon classes to attend.

Watanuki stared after him for a few long minutes. "The alternative huh?" Smiling a little if took a few minutes more after Doumeki had disappeared into the school to realize that lunch was over and he was going to be late if he couldn't beat his teacher to the classroom. Grabbing their forgotten lunch boxes he ran into the school the smile still on his lips.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I'm writing this in my planning class because I can't get onto the site to focus on a planning thing. Hope you enjoy the third chapter. Tell me how it is and if I don't get back to you it's because my computer at home has crashed and I'm relying on an hour at the library here and there.

Watanuki went through the rest of his day in a bit of a fog. He hadn't realized just how much being kissed could throw someone. It is no wonder people remember their first kiss. Then again that was his second wasn't it? Sitting at his desk staring out the window at nothing in particular he let his thoughts drift back to his lunch with Doumeki. He missed the bell signaling he could go and it wasn't until Himawari shook him that he realized he hadn't taken any notes that afternoon.

"Watanuki are you alright?" Himawari asked, slightly worried though she kept her bright smile on her face. "You didn't seem to be here the entire class. I was wondering if something happened at lunch? I'm sorry I couldn't be there. I was asked to show them where to move the papers that the student council needs for our next meeting…"

Watanuki just nodded politely and gathered up his things. "Yeah that's okay Himawari-chan," he said though it completely lacked more than a polite enthusiasm. "I was just thinking. I'd better go though. I'm working today. See you tomorrow Himawari." Watanuki picked up his bag and quickly left the room.

Going down the hall through the school he made sure he had everything and left the building. Smiling to himself he heard the 'twang' of bowstrings and his grin grew. Continuing on his way he walked slowly past the archery practice just out of sight, listening to the other boys oohed and ahhed as Doumeki shot. Heading for the gate Watanuki walked leisurely towards Yuuko's not caring if he'd be a bit late today.

Amazingly, for his leisurely pace, Watanuki made it to Yuuko's shop entirely unharmed. Walking in and taking off his shoes he smiled at the twins. "Hi," he said smiling.

"Watanuki you're late!" "You're late," the twins echoed as Yuuko and Mokona came into view.

"Yes Watanuki you are late." Towering over him Yuuko bent down to peer at his face. Suddenly her face broke from serious to a contented cat smile. "I see. Mokona… We need sake to celebrate!"

"Yay Sake!" Mokona echoed bouncing off into the house in the vague direction of the kitchen.

"Wait… Yuuko what?" Watanuki asked wondering why he wasn't being told to go get sake and even more why Yuuko was dragging him deeper into the house. He had two perfectly good legs. They weren't sore or tired from running for his life today.

"Doumeki is so good at understanding my little hints. I suppose I should've known though. It was after all only a matter of time. He did bring me sake as a thank you present," Yuuko said more to herself than anything.

"YUUKO STOP! What's is all this!? I don't understand! I'm sorry I was late but honestly I can walk by myself!" Watanuki said pulling free from Yuuko's grasp.

"Oh… Of course you can. But I figured… Never mind this is going to be a party after all," Yuuko said smiling lazily.

Watanuki was completely lost as to why Yuuko would throw a party but never the less gave in following her quietly. A bit bewildered because he wasn't thrown into the kitchen to cook but he followed quietly.

Soon Mokona was back with sake for himself and Yuuko. "So what happened?" Yuuko asked immediately as soon as she was comfortably sprawled with sake in hand.

"What do you mean?" Watanuki asked again confused.

"Oh poor Watanuki… doesn't even recognize love when he's in it." Yuuko said sadly, reaching over to stroke Watanuki's hair.

"WHAT?! NO, I'M NOT… I MEAN… How could you know?"

"It's in your eyes Watanuki. They show me your heart. You wear it on your sleeve and it needs protecting," Yuuko's eyes were smiling at him. It was one of the few times she'd show how fond of him she was. "So… What happened at lunch today?"

"Yuuko I'm not going to talk about it." Watanuki said stubbornly, though a blush immediately started to creep up on his face.

"Ah Watanuki's embarrassed." Yuuko said in a singsong voice. "Well if you're not going to tell me I suppose you should go make dinner. You are late after all and I would've let you get away with just dinner but as you won't tell me I suppose you'd best go start now. You'll be here most of the night otherwise." Yuuko turned her face away with her eyes closed but opened one eye a crack to see his reaction first.

Mouth hanging open and blush growing hotter Watanuki swallowed a few times and quietly started to rely what had happened at lunch.

Yuuko was thrilled but then again he always was too easy to manipulate. Sake in hand and Mokona on her shoulder they listened smiling indulgently like the proud matchmakers they were. As Watanuki's story wound down, he had of course, with slight prodding, gone into the pure daydreams he'd had that afternoon as well.

Grinning at him Yuuko waved one hand and sent him off to start on dinner. As Watanuki left the room she rose and moved to the door. Doumeki was standing just inside the gate leaning against one of the gateposts. "Come in Doumeki, Watanuki is just preparing dinner."

Quietly Doumeki made his way to the door. He figured that Yuuko knew what had happened but he wasn't going to give up a dinner Watanuki had made. Following Yuuko into the house he smiled a little when he heard Watanuki moving about the kitchen.

Yuuko looked from the direction of the kitchen to him and smiled. "You know he won't have to keep coming here for too much longer if you and he work out."

Doumeki nodded, "That was my intention."


End file.
